Estimating the economic impacts of percutaneous coronary intervention in Australia: a registry-based cost burden study

ObjectivesIn this study, we sought to evaluate the costs of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) across a variety of indications in Victoria, Australia, using a direct per-person approach, as well as to identify key cost drivers.DesignA cost-burden study of PCI in Victoria was conducted from the Australian healthcare system perspective.SettingA linked dataset of patients admitted to public hospitals for PCI in Victoria was drawn from the Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry (VCOR) and the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset. Generalised linear regression modelling was used to evaluate key cost drivers. From 2014 to 2017, 20 345 consecutive PCIs undertaken in Victorian public hospitals were captured in VCOR.Primary outcome measuresDirect healthcare costs attributed to PCI, estimated using a casemix funding method.ResultsKey cost drivers identified in the cost model included procedural complexity, patient length of stay and vascular access site. Although the total procedural cost increased from $A55 569 740 in 2014 to $A72 179 656 in 2017, mean procedural costs remained stable over time ($A12 521 in 2014 to $A12 185 in 2017) after adjustment for confounding factors. Mean procedural costs were also stable across patient indications for PCI ($A9872 for unstable angina to $A15 930 for ST-elevation myocardial infarction) after adjustment for confounding factors.ConclusionsThe overall cost burden attributed to PCIs in Victoria is rising over time. However, despite increasing procedural complexity, mean procedural costs remained stable over time which may be, in part, attributed to changes in clinical practice.